NE's interests to help Look East policy's success

Guwahati, Nov 16: India's 'Look East' policy, targetted at enhancing India's standing in global politics, could spell success for the entire South East Asia depending on India's ability to integrate the interests of its North Eastern states in its larger regional ambition, though Myanmar could emerge as the Achilles' heel.

This was suggested in a summary of a report of the Asian Dialogue Society's (ADS) Greater Asia Initiative, 'Shared Integration: Promoting a Greater Asia'.

A study mission had visited NE in January this year to examine the possibilities of collaboration between the people of the NE states and Southeast Asia and the impact of the Look East policy.

The report explores the critical nexus between India and South East Asia and the many dimensions of India's role in Greater Asia.

It maintains that India has adopted a configurational approach towards regionalism which is episodic in essence in which certain strategic configurations dominate, depending on the geopolitical or geo-economic environment.

India perceives Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the stepping stone towards achieving her regional objectives and balance in the global power play.

The report argues that the Look East policy was embedded in its historical commitment to build Asian solidarity as reflected in the 1955 Bandung Declaration. The report recommended 'shared integration' for a creative fusion of India's interests with the region's priorities.

The report cautions that the progress of the Look East policy would be dictated by India's ability to integrate the interests of the NE states in its larger regional ambition.

As such, the report studies the realities of ethno-nationalism and sub-regionalism in NE India in the context of intra-regional relations, and their implications for the realisation of shared integration.

It argues that bracketing of the eight NE states, with its diverse tribal groups, customs and cultures, into what is called the 'North East,' ignores the distinct identity and sub-national aspirations of resident ethnic groups. The report also examines the negative impact of Delhi's promised carrot of economic safety net, which serves to appease the 'greed' of a handful and to maintain the status quo.

The issues of insurgency and NE India-Myanmar relations are also scrutinised, with Myanmar identified as a potential Achilles' heel in India's pursuit of global influence.

The report urged strengthening of the Brahmautra-Yangtze-Mekong quadrant in a shared integration approach that would catalyse the change process in Myanmar.

The report also offered possibilities for collaboration, action and execution by both regions in a shared integration approach that would accelerate growth in congruence between the ideals of a Greater Asia and the prevailing realities in NE India.

The report recommends two broad strategies for dealing with the complexity of the NE dilemma. It proposed an ''eco-holistic'' approach towards managing shared integration in the NE where human security, cultural connectivity and green economy form the substratum of change.

Secondly, it emphasised the importance of short-run adaptive strategies as well as long-run reconstructive strategies focused on domains of leadership, legitimisation of regional institutions and the creation of optimal conditions.

The findings of the study report focused on the importance of understanding and addressing the diversities of NE for the success of the Look East policy.

UNI